Vindicator named best in class at AP awards

COLUMBUS — The Vindicator was named best in the state for newspapers with a daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999 and won 13 other first-place awards Sunday in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors competition.

The Vindicator won the General Excellence award for 2013.

“We’re Youngstown-proud with these honors,” said Todd Franko, Vindicator editor. “We’re in a business that produces every day, and is judged every day.

“To have our worked judged over the course of a year and have it be deemed best is proud for us and for the Valley.”

The staff shared a first place in community service for “Drugs in the

Mahoning Valley,” in breaking news coverage for “Car Crash Kills 3” and in explanatory reporting for “Murder of Teddy Foltz,” while sports reporter Kevin Connelly and Mahoning County/courts reporter Peter Milliken also won first for sports-event coverage with “Death of Sharon High School Football Players.”

Art director Robert McFerren took first for best page one layout, as well as for best special section with “The Great Flood of 1913.” McFerren won second place for best graphics artist, and also second place and third place in informational graphics for “The Great Flood of 1913” and “Mill Creek Makeover,” respectively. His “The Great Flood” won second place for full-page layout.

In other Vindy awards, assistant design/copy chief Matthew Arnold won first place for best headline writer, illustrator Ricky Darbey won first for best graphics artist, sports reporter Joe Scalzo won first for best sports feature writer and crime reporter Joe Gorman won first for best news writer.

Scalzo also took second place in both the best sports columnist and best sports writer categories.

Photographer Madelyn P. Hastings, chief photographer Robert K. Yosay and photographer William D. Lewis won first place for best breaking news photo with “2 Kids Die in I-76 Accident,” best feature photo with “On the Right Trek” and best sports photo with “Varsity Blues,” respectively.

Lewis received second place for best photo essay with “Kaitlin Windt.”

Also selected for awards were business reporter Jamison Cocklin, who took second place for best business reporter, along with third place in investigative reporting for “What is Going On at 2761 Salt Springs Road?”; Franko, who won second place for best feature writer; and Youngstown/politics reporter David Skolnick, who received second place in enterprise reporting for “$1,117,000 Spent on City Studies.”

The Vindicator took second place for best use of multimedia with “Vindy Talk Radio” and for best daily sports section.

Sixty-four daily newspapers submitted 2,599 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2013.

“These awards represent a commitment to excellence from the ownership to the staff to our readers who, frankly, demand a lot from their local newspaper,” said Mark M. Sweetwood, Vindicator managing editor. “I’m proud of the team that made this possible.”

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,500 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States. Members of AP include 85 daily newspapers in Ohio.

Vindicator winners announced in ’13 OAPME newspaper contest:

General Excellence: The Vindicator, first place.

Best Headline Writer: Matthew Arnold, The Vindicator, first place; Richard Logan, The Vindicator, third place.

Best Business Writer:

Jamison Cocklin, The Vindicator, second place.

Best Editorial Writer: Richard Logan, The Vindicator, third place.

Best Feature Writer: Todd Franko, The Vindicator, second place; Ashley Luthern, The Vindicator, third place.

Best Graphics Artist: Ricky Darbey, The Vindicator, first place; Robert McFerren, The Vindicator, second place.

Best Sports Columnist: Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator, second place; Ed Puskas, The Vindicator, third place.

Best Sports Feature Writer: Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator, first place.

Best Sports Writer: Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator, second place.

Best Photographer: William D. Lewis, The Vindicator, third place.

Best News Writer: Joe Gorman, The Vindicator, first place.

Best Sports Event Coverage: Kevin Connelly and Peter Milliken, The Vindicator, “Death of Sharon High School Football Players,” first place.

Best Daily Sports Section: The Vindicator, second place.

Best Informational Graphics: Robert McFerren, The Vindicator, “The Great Flood of 1913,” second place; Robert McFerren, The Vindicator, “Mill Creek Makeover,” third place.